Have you ever wondered why different alcoholic drinks will make you feel a different kind of drunk. Why does beer chill you out but gin makes you angry? Why does wine cause you to have deep chats but vodka makes you sad? Some will argue that there’s no logic behind this, that it’s simply the amount of alcohol within the drinks and the speed at which you metabolise them. But maybe there’s more going on here. Maybe there’s more in the science that differentiates alcoholic drinks than we think. As always, we’re going to delve into the truth and flesh it out. Let’s go.
What is Alcohol?
Alcohol – whether we like to hear it or not – is technically a drug. So don’t think you’re not taking drugs when you sip on that vodka and coke. You are. Alcohol, or ethyl alcohol, is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant that can produce a range of effects on the brain and body, depending on the type of alcohol consumed and the amount consumed. Other drugs that join the depressant or downer club include ketamine or GHB. These kinds of substances are known for specific effects:
Reduced anxiety
Relaxed feelings
Slowed reaction time
Reduced inhibitions
Enhanced mood
Sound familiar? Alcohol is a psychoactive substance that is widely consumed in various forms around the world. It is produced by the fermentation of sugars or starches, which is a process that occurs when yeast or bacteria consume the sugars and produce alcohol and carbon dioxide as by-products. The alcohol content of beverages can vary greatly, with some containing only a small amount, while others have a high concentration.
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There are several types of alcohol – many will experience them all in one evening – but the most commonly consumed form is ethyl alcohol, or ethanol. Ethanol is the main active ingredient in alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine, and spirits. It is responsible for the intoxicating effects that are associated with drinking alcohol.
Legality
Alcoholism causes 140,000 deaths in the US every year, yet it still remains a legal substance. On the other hand, cannabis kills essentially 0 people every year and there are still several states yet to legalize it. So why is alcohol dealt with differently to other drugs? The Conversation writes:
“The main reason why alcohol remains legal in the U.S. – despite mounting evidence of the harm it can cause – is that banning it a century ago failed… Prohibition initially helped reduce alcohol consumption. But it also bolstered the illegal liquor trade. This practice, called “bootlegging,” created new problems.”
This theory makes sense, until you consider that there is a black market for all illegal drugs. So why have substances like cocaine or ecstacy been legalized? Nonetheless, due to the fact that alcohol is illegal basically everywhere in the world, it has meant that money has been within the industry for a long time. In fact, the global market worth of the alcohol industry hit 1.45 trillion dollars in 2021. Where there is money, there is innovation, hence why there are so many different kinds of alcoholic drinks. Not only are there varying types of alcohol, but there are also hundreds of brands. It is no surprise, with all of the diverse options, that people start to wonder if one alcoholic drink can cause different effects than another. But is this just a myth?
Different Alcoholic Drinks, Different Effects
There are several theories both for and against the theory that different alcoholic drinks can cause different effects. Some believe it’s a placebo and psychological, whilst others claim there’s truth to it.
Reasons in Support
Different types of alcohol can cause different experiences due to variations in their chemical structures, metabolism, and effects on the brain and body. Ethanol, the type of alcohol commonly found in alcoholic beverages, is a simple molecule consisting of a hydroxyl group attached to a carbon atom. The molecular structure of different types of alcohols, however, can vary greatly. In addition, the way that alcohol is broken down in the system can also affect the experience it produces. The rate at which it is metabolised can vary depending on a person’s liver.
If alcohol is absorbed quicker, this could manifest itself as a different drunk experience. With less intense drinks – such as beer – we tend to drink more of it. This can be quite a dehydrating experience, needing to consume more to get drunk. This can trigger tiredness or a more relaxed feeling. Spirits, on the other hand, have a higher percentage and thus are usually drunk slower. The intensity of the higher percentage drinks can cause more energy. Suddenly, alcohol becomes a stimulant, rather than a depressant. Perhaps this is why Tequila makes you crazy but Fosters makes you sleepy?
Reasons Against
Let’s be honest here, ethanol is ethanol. Alcohol is alcohol. How can there really be different effects from different alcohols? Whilst there has been limited research into this, the mainstream school of thought is that the theory is a myth. Instead, scientists prefer to think about the idea of expectancy. Dru Jaeger writes:
“Expectancy is a psychological term for a predictable relationship between an external stimulus and our response to it. At its simplest, your expectation of what will happen can shape your experience of what happens. So what you expect to happen when you drink can change what actually happens in practice.”
A recent study of 30,000 people found that people attach different emotions to different alcohols. However, these are believed to be caused by this idea of expectancy. Throughout life we find reasons to believe that different drinks make us feel differently – this is based on certain factors. Ultimately, it’s our mindset. Like with the set and setting idea and psychedelic drugs, how we feel before drinking can dictate our experience. If we drink wine when we’re relaxed, it’ll probably make us feel more relaxed. If we drink spirits to go out, we’ll probably feel energetic. If we drink beer to chill out, we’ll probably feel sleepy. You see what’s happening here? The alcohol itself isn’t changing, but the way we feel towards it is. The Conversation writes:
“The direct effects of alcohol are the same whether you drink wine, beer or spirits. There’s no evidence that different types of alcohol cause different mood states. People aren’t even very good at recognising their mood states when they have been drinking.”
It seems that the evidence is pointing towards this theory being a myth. It’s a bit like people saying that different sweets cause different sugar highs. Of course there are foods that have more intense portions of sugar, but this doesn’t mean that it’s causing an entirely alternative experience. The mixture of varying levels of alcohol, alongside this idea of expectancy, is what gives people the impression of a different kind of drunk. With this in mind, it’s not the alcoholic drink that is different, it is us.
Final Thoughts on different alcoholic drinks
I myself have wondered at points why some alcoholic drinks do seem to give me different – let’s say – vibes. I’ve experienced feeling chill on wine and beer, but more energetic on spirits. Although, at the same time, now that I think of it, I’ve also experienced having intense arguments after a bottle of red wine. I also remember first drinking beer and feeling invincible.
It seems that it isn’t the alcohol that is changing, it’s my attitude towards it. Thus it seems that the theory has been deemed a myth, doesn’t it? Although, on the other hand, if we believe it to be true, then doesn’t that make it true? In other words, if our attitudes towards different alcoholic drinks can change how we feel they affect us, then maybe that’s enough to give a bit more credit to this theory. Who cares what’s causing it? It’s still happening, right?
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Lean into the joy of the holiday season with this merry cocktails – delight your taste buds and favorite people!
According to TikTok, it s the most wonderful, stressful, fun, boozy time of year. So why not lean into the season and make merry with something fun. Here are the best cocktails to make you feel festive, no matter what the situation. Plus, these are drinks you can make quickly with minimum effort and maximum fun. Pour one of these concoctions and have a moment of peace or share them with the one you like, love or tolerate at work. Sip, savor and bring a little ho ho ho into the moment.
Here is a way to settle into a cozy beverage which will warm your body and soul. Bourbon has been part of the holidays for generations…and you can make this a new tradition.
Ingredients
2ozbourbon
1/2oz simple syrup
2dashes bitters
2 dashes orange juice
Garnish: cinnamon stick and orange peel
Create
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and add ice
Stir for 20 seconds
Strain into a rocks glass with ice
Garnish with orange peel and a cinnamon stick
Easy, Tasty Egg Nog
You either you love it or hate it, but Egg Nog is a holiday staple. This recipe makes it lighter, tasty and a wee dangerous since it is so good. It bring a whole new take on a staid drink.
Ingredients
2 oz store bought egg nog
1ozmilk (2% is the best)
small splash vanilla
1 oz Licor 43
Create
Combine egg nog, milk and vanilla
Stir until well mixed
Add Licor 43 and stir again
Pour into a fun glass and enjoy
White Bishop
The Bishop’s Wife is a great holiday movie filled with the Christmas spirit and some never ending booze. This drink is an embraces the fun, warmth, snow, and spirit of the evening. Perfect as a dessert drink, a morning treat or just to lift your holiday mood.
Nothing says celebration like bubbles. Whether you use champagne or prosecco, this is bound to bring a smile to your face. And the poinsettia is Christmas tradition since
Ingredients
1/2ozorange liqueur
3oz cranberry juice
3oz of champagne or prosecco
Garnish with fresh cranberries
Create
Pour orange liqueur and cranberry juice into a chilled champagne flute
The day before Thanksgiving has the honor of being two of the biggest consumption days of the year – are you ready?
While some people are prepping for Thanksgiving Thursday, the big feast and the holiday season afterwards, a significant amount are looking forward to Wednesday. The day before Thanksgiving has become a mini-holiday in its own right. It has become a time of robust celebration, so much it is known as Green Wednesday and Blackout Wednesday. It is a significant consumption day for both marijuana and alcohol imbibers.
Blackout Wednesday, also known as Drinksgiving, has grown to rival major drinking holidays like New Year’s Eve and St. Patrick’s Day in terms of alcohol consumption. And cannabis is not far behind seeing a big spike in dispensary purchases on the same day. As legal cannabis moved across the nation, it caught on and gave options to people who want to “unplug” at the start of the holiday weekend.
Green Wednesday is a cannabis-centric moment the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. In in 2016, the phrase was coined when California cannabis delivery service noticed a significant uptick in orders the week before Thanksgiving. With over 50% of the country having access to legal weed, each year has only gotten bigger!
“Last year’s Green Wednesday had sales 72% higher than the average day. Flower accounted for 39.5% of sales with Vape at 23.7%, pre-rolled at 16.9% and edibles at 10.6%. Pre-rolled showed the biggest increase compared to the week before when it accounted for only 11.9%, so sales on Green Wednesday of pre-rolls specifically, were more than double a normal day.” shares Roy Bingham, Co-Founder and CEO of BDSA, one of the cannabis analytics firms.
The original partakers start Blackout Wednesday, also known as Drinksgiving or Thanksgiving Eve. They helped make it become a significant cultural phenomenon. This unofficial holiday takes place on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and has gained notoriety as one of the busiest drinking nights of the year. The exact origins of Blackout Wednesday are not precisely documented, but the phenomenon is believed to have started decades before it was named. The term “Drinksgiving” dates back to 2007, while the first Google searches for “Blackout Wednesday” were recorded in 2014.
If you choose to celebrate, be safe, have fun, and have the ingredients for a hangover cure come the morning.
As it it becomes available to more people, there is a positive health change going on according to data.
Cannabis is becoming more mainstream and and the side effects are doing even better than expected. It seems the availability of legal marijuana is helping with the health of the general population. Studies in California, Canada and the now New Zealand have shown the upside of legalization. While cannabis has been used for health benefits for millions of years, reduction in more harmful intoxication products is another important wellness trend.
Alcohol consumption is associated with significant health risks, including liver damage, cardiovascular issues, and certain cancers. In contrast, marijuana has not been linked to the same level of severe physical health consequences. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that over 36,000 annual U.S. deaths are attributed to chronic alcohol use, while there is no comparable category for marijuana-related deaths. Alcohol is also much more addictive than marijuana, causing long term physical and mental issues.
A study from New Zealand has found some interesting trends regarding the relationship between marijuana legalization and the consumption of alcohol and opioids.
Following the legalization of marijuana in New Zealand, researchers observed a notable decline in alcohol consumption:
The study found no significant impact on underage drinking rates among those aged 12-20.
This suggests for adults, marijuana may be serving as a substitute for alcohol in some cases, particularly when it comes to heavy drinking episodes.
The relationship between marijuana legalization and opioid use appears more complex:
There was no clear evidence of marijuana legalization directly reducing opioid use or abuse.
However, some research indicates that people who use cannabis are more likely to initiate opioid use, with an odds ratio of 2.76 compared to non-cannabis users.
The likelihood of transitioning from opioid use to opioid use disorders among cannabis users was found to be 2.52 times higher than non-cannabis users.
The study also revealed some additional findings regarding substance use patterns:
Marijuana use increased by 16% among adults aged 21 and older following legalization.
There was a 5-6% increase in marijuana use initiation among adolescents and young adults aged 12-20. This would be go with the greater North American trend of California sober and Gen Z drifting away from alcohol and more into marijuana.
No significant changes were observed in the use of hard drugs like cocaine or heroin in any age group.
These findings suggest while marijuana legalization may lead to decreased alcohol consumption among adults, it does not necessarily translate to reduced use of other substances, particularly opioids. The relationship between cannabis use and other substance use behaviors is complex and multifaceted. Time and more research should yield more benefits.